This is Brad's answer: I went with Oshie because I believe he's the best player in the league. He's physical, he's a menace forechecking, he's extremely skilled and he does a ton for the team. He's also got good numbers to go with it.
And explain which Sioux players you don't believe to be deserving on the first or second team.
Posted by: Schlossman on Monday, March 10 1:16 PM
I like what Brad says here. it is a good question; why not pick T.J. Oshie for player of the year in the WCHA? T.J. Oshie brings it every night. I have watched him play for three seasons and T.J. Oshie is a special player that I have never seen take a shit off. First down the ice with the puck, first back in the defensive zone to back check. While Oshie is a a great offensive player, what makes him special is his ability to play in both ends of the rink, because of that fact I would take Oshie over Ryan Lasch any day.
In my humble opinion T.J. is a complete player that happens to be the hammer more than he is the nail. T.J. Oshies doesn't skate around the opposition he tries to go through the opposing players.
Sioux fans enjoy him while we can because he will be playing in the NHL very soon. I can't wait to see him in the NHL where there isn't as much hooking and holding.
Given the advantage in size that Oshie has over others, isn't Ryan Lasch a much more effective player then? Oshie's numbers, if I'm not mistaken, are about equal with Roe's (even the penalty minutes!). So that tells me that Oshie could do much better, given his talent, skills, and size!
ReplyDeleteI have watched every team in the WCHA multiple times this season and I haven't see a player dominate a game in so many ways like TJ does every weekend. on offense he's always fighting through two or three guys getting held and slashed the whole night. he still is up at the top of the league in scoring. on defense, especially since moving to center, has an amazing presence on the ice. he seems to take the puck away from everybody while laying big hits. also, he does this without being a dirt player or chippy.
ReplyDeletei would guess that every wcha coach who could draft one current player in the league to start their team, would select Oshie. imo, of course.
If you've seen 2 or more games of Oshie and watched him all over the ice, i don't see how he's not the POY.
Petra- who would you choose? just curious.
Oshie is definitely a good choice, but I think his biggest contender will be Chad Rau (CC) 27 G, 13 A, 40 PTS. They'll probably take into account the success CC had this year (MacNaughton Cup winners).
ReplyDeleteAlthough, if I was to answer the question you posed to Petra, I'd pick Oshie.
It will be interesting to see where the votes go. I think Rau is a good choice, I like Oshie better, Lasch in my opinion is all offensive and very little defense hence he -6.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen enough of Rau to know how good of a two way player he is.
Archie - I just couldn't follow Goon's reasoning in comparing Oshie with Lasch. I thought if Oshie has so much of an advantage over little Laschy, shouldn't he then be much better? And isn't Lasch then much more effective, given his "disadvantages?"
ReplyDeleteThough I have not seen Oshie play this year, I do believe that he's everything you are giving him credit for. However, I must admit that I can't get those "off-the-ice" stories out of my head. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who believe that college hockey players should be sitting at home on those nights when they don't play. That's nonsense in my eyes. But I also believe that players should not be awarded for getting in trouble. College hockey players are role models. They don't have to be saints, but ... well, almost :-).
That said, and granted that I'm a Husky fan and emotionally biased when it comes to Ryan Lasch, I'd probably go with Chad Rau or J.P. Lamoureux.
Petra's statement "[t]hough I have not seen Oshie play this year..." destroys any factual support for her Laschitis. Watch the tape(s) -- or rather than Memorex, see TJ Oshie live -- then try to argue for Laschy, Roe or, dare I say, Rau with a straight face. I have seen them all play -- multiple times (even that cheap little SOB Gerbe from BC, as well as the other Hobey hopefuls -- all more likely to win the Hobey than TJ). NONE of them can hold your attention on the ice, or single-handedly turn a game's momentum like TJ can. Furthermore, nobody can "turn out your lights" like TJ can either, as many WCHA opponents can attest to this season.
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